1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a tape recorder. More particularly, the present invention relates to an idler for a tape recorder for receiving a driving force from a capstan motor and selectively transmitting the driving force to either of a pair of reels.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a tape recorder, such as video tape recorder, camcorder, among others, is an apparatus for recording and reproducing image and sound data on and from a magnetic tape that is wound around a pair of reels to move along a certain path. In such a tape recorder, an idler is connected to either of the reels to selectively wind the magnetic tape around the reel in a forward or reverse direction according to a rotational direction of the capstan motor.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show one example of a conventional idler for a tape recorder. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the idler includes a gear supporting plate 1, an idler gear 5, and an idler shaft 8. The gear supporting plate 1 is installed to a base plate (not shown), and supports the idle gear 5 and a pulley gear (not shown) to which a driving force is transmitted from a capstan motor (not shown). The gear supporting plate 1 is rotated around a shaft (not shown) of the pulley gear assembled into a shaft hole 4 according to a rotational direction of the capstan motor. The gear supporting plate 1 is provided with an S-shaped portion 3 formed in a portion of the gear supporting plate, to which the idler shaft 8 is installed, as shown in FIG. 2.
The idler gear 5 receives a driving force from the capstan motor through the pulley gear, and selectively transmits the driving force to either of a pair of reels (a take-up reel and a supply reel). Also, the idler gear 5 rotates on the gear supporting plate 1 by the idler shaft 8.
The idler gear 5 is rotatably supported by the idler shaft 8 secured to the gear supporting plate 1 via caulking. The S-shaped portion 3 of the gear supporting plate 1 functions as a leaf spring by adjusting the length of the idler, so that the idler gear 5 is urged against the gear supporting plate 1 to generate a frictional force.
In the conventional idler, if the rotational direction of the capstan motor is changed, torque is generated due to the frictional force generated between the idler gear 5 and the gear supporting plate 1. As a result of the change in rotational direction of the capstan motor, the rotational direction of the idler is changed. The idler gear 5 is connected to either of the pair of reels according to the rotational direction of the capstan motor, such that the power of the capstan motor is selectively transmitted to the take-up reel or the supply reel to allow the magnetic tape to be wound in a forward direction or a reverse direction.
In the conventional idler for the tape recorder, the idler shaft 8 is separately manufactured and then assembled to the idler gear 5, and the idler shaft 8 is secured to the gear supporting plate 1 by means of caulking. Further, frictional force is generated between the idler shaft 8 and the S-shaped portion 3 of the gear supporting plate 1. As a result of the separate manufacturing and assembling steps, the frictional force is difficult to adjust, requires many different components and subsequently increases the cost of manufacturing.